Notes Sheet for Understanding Celestial Coordinates Article
Part A: Use figure A and B to help answer the following questions
Name:
Hour:
1.
What is right ascension?
2.
What are the units of right ascension?
3.
What is declination?
4.
What are the units of declination?
5.
What is the right ascension and declination for the vernal equinox?
6.
If the autumn equinox is 6 month later what would be the right ascension and declination for it?
(hint it is half way around the globe)
7.
What is the declination for the North Pole? The South Pole?
Figure A
Figure B
Part B Using figures C and D answer the following questions.
1.
What is the declination for the Celestial Equator?
2.
How many hours apart is each line of Right ascension?
3.
The winter Solstice occurs at what declination and right ascension?
4.
The summer Solstice occurs 6 months later, what is the declination and right ascension for it?
5.
The circle that marks the Sun’s apparent path path on the celestial sphere is called the ________
6.
The sun is farthest south on the celestial sphere during the (winter, summer) solstice.
7.
The sun is farthest north on the celestial sphere during the (winter, summer) solstice.
8.
Looking at figure D match the position of the sun for an observer in the northern hemisphere
with the correct letter.
a. Summer Solstice
9.
b.
Winter Solstice
c.
Equinox
Looking at figure D, the arrows through the Sun show its direction of motion. The sun is rising in
the _____________ and setting in the ____________.
10. On figure D label the following
a. Polaris
b. Zenith to the observer
Figure C
Figure D